A cognitive ad hoc network is a paradigm for wireless communications in which either a network or a cognitive device changes its transmission or reception parameters to avoid interference with licensed or unlicensed devices. This alteration of parameters is based on the active monitoring of several factors in the external and internal communication environment, such as radio frequency usage, user behavior and network state. One method of channel access in a wireless communication system is Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA). A CSMA wireless communication device will implement measures to avoid generating interference such as sensing the channel before accessing the channel in order to avoid simultaneously transmitting during the transmission of another CSMA device. Although CSMA wireless communication devices implement measures to avoid generating interference, there are times in which they may accidentally or unintentionally do so. A need therefore exits for detecting and identifying CSMA wireless communication devices in a cognitive network, and sharing resources with other devices in a fair manner.